|
Our FREE NFL picks versus the spread are purely for entertainment purposes only. But, let's face it, being right (winning) is more fun than being wrong (losing).
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
DAILY WEEK 13 LINES FROM SPORTSBOOK.COM
|
|
|
SUMMARY OF PICKS BY CONTRIBUTORS
|
|
Week: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17
|
|
Picks are for entertainment purposes only.
|
Picks and spreads are as of Saturday, December 3rd at 3:22 p.m. ET
|
|
Lines used are always as of the time the pick was made.
|
Date/Time (ET)
|
Favorite
|
Spread
|
Underdog
|
|
|
Kevin
|
Dan
|
Sean
|
Thu, Dec 1 at 8:20 p.m.
|
Seattle Seahawks 31, Philadelphia Eagles 14
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 1:00 p.m.
|
BILLS
|
2.5
|
Titans
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 1:00 p.m.
|
BEARS
|
7.0
|
Chiefs
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 1:00 p.m.
|
DOLPHINS
|
3.0
|
Raiders
|
|
|
MIA -3
|
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 1:00 p.m.
|
STEELERS
|
6.5
|
Bengals
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 1:00 p.m.
|
Jets
|
3.0
|
REDSKINS
|
|
|
NYJ -3
|
NYJ -3
|
NYJ -3
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 1:00 p.m.
|
Falcons
|
3.0
|
TEXANS
|
|
|
HOU +3
|
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 1:00 p.m.
|
BUCCANEERS
|
3.0
|
Panthers
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 1:00 p.m.
|
VIKINGS
|
1.5
|
Broncos
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 1:00 p.m.
|
PATRIOTS
|
20.5
|
Colts
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 4:05 p.m.
|
Ravens
|
6.5
|
BROWNS
|
|
|
|
BAL -6.5
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 4:15 p.m.
|
49ERS
|
14.0
|
Rams
|
|
|
|
SF -14
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 4:15 p.m.
|
Cowboys
|
4.5
|
CARDINALS
|
|
|
|
|
DAL -4.5
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 4:15 p.m.
|
Packers
|
6.5
|
GIANTS
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sun, Dec 4 at 8:30 p.m.
|
SAINTS
|
9.0
|
Lions
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mon, Dec 5 at 8:35 p.m.
|
Chargers
|
3.0
|
JAGUARS
|
|
|
|
|
SD -3
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
CONTRIBUTOR
|
|
GAME 1
|
|
GAME 2
|
|
GAME 3
|
Kevin
2011 Record: 33-14-4 (70.2%)
|
|
Raiders at Dolphins (-3)
|
|
Jets (-3) at Redskins
|
|
Falcons (-3) at Texans
|
| |
Dolphins -3
|
|
Jets -3
|
|
Texans +3
|
| |
Over the past four weeks, the Dolphins are
nearly perfect and had many opportunities
last week to keep their winning streak alive
although they lost by one point to the
Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Either way, Miami
has the added benefit of three extra days to
rest and prepare for the Oakland Raiders, who
are making a cross-country trip for an early
game. The Raiders will be without wide
receivers Denarius Moore and Jacoby Ford in
addition to Darren McFadden for another
week. While Michael Bush has shown that he
is more than capable of picking up the slack
in the running game, Carson Palmer has only
one passing touchdown in his past two games
and the Dolphins have allowed only two
passing touchdowns in their past four games.
Miami's run defense is one of the league's
best as they have allowed only 97.5 yards per
game and only the 49ers have allowed fewer
rushing touchdowns than the Dolphins (three).
On the other hand, Oakland has allowed a
league-worst 5.3 yards per carry and are
giving up 135.3 rushing yards per game.
While Miami's defense is playing much better
over their past four games, so is the offense
under quarterback Matt Moore. In his past
four games, Moore has a 7:1 touchdown-to-
interception ratio and he's completing more
than 67 percent of his passes during that
span.
|
|
While I don't trust Jets quarterback Mark
Sanchez, I trust Redskins quarterback Rex
Grossman even less although the Jets have
allowed six touchdown passes and have no
interceptions in their past three games.
Redskins running back Roy Helu is coming
off the first 100-yard rushing game of his
career (although he had a 100-yard
receiving game four weeks ago). While
coach Mike Shanahan has indicated that
Helu will get a heavy workload again, the
Jets have been much better against the run
recently than they were at the beginning of
the season. Excluding quarterbacks and
wide receivers, the Jets have allowed
running backs to rush for only 3.23 yards
per carry (141 attempts for 456 yards)
since Week 6. With five games to go, the
Jets are 6-5 and one game behind the
Bengals, who have a tough matchup on the
road in Pittsburgh. In other words, the Jets
are right in the thick of things as far as
their playoff hopes are concerned. On the
other hand, the Redskins are unlikely to
make the postseason even in the very
unlikely event that they win out. The Jets
are 10-4 against the spread (ATS) in their
past 14 games versus teams with a losing
record while the Redskins are 2-5 ATS in
their past seven games overall.
[Related Poll: Roy Helu vs. Tim Tebow.]
|
|
Although I picked the Jets over the
Redskins, it's hard to resist taking a home
underdog, especially when that team is 8-3
and tied for the best record in the AFC.
Granted, the Texans are without starting
quarterback Matt Schaub and backup
quarterback Matt Leinart, but is there a big
dropoff between Leinart and rookie
quarterback T.J. Yates? To me, Yates
looked as good as (if not better than)
Leinart last week. That said, the Texans
offense has tons of talent surrounding
Yates to compensate for the loss of the
Matts. Texans running back Arian Foster
has four 100-yard rushing games as does
backup Ben Tate and Foster has three
100-yard receiving games. While the
Falcons are one of three teams to not allow
a 100-yard rusher this season, they face
their toughest challenge against the
talented Texans' backs. (The Niners and
Patriots are the other two teams yet to
allow a 100-yard rusher.) For the Falcons,
they are dealing with injuries themselves.
Running back Michael Turner and receiver
Julio Jones were limited participants in
practice on Friday and are listed as
questionable on the team's injury report.
In addition, the team will be without its best
cornerback Brent Grimes. Either way, the
Texans rank second in scoring defense
(16.3 points allowed per game) and first in
overall defense (268.4 yards allowed per
game). They rank second in sacks (35)
and are tied for sixth in interceptions (15).
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
Dan
2011 Record: 24-21-6 (53.3%)
|
|
Jets (-3) at Redskins
|
|
Ravens (-6.5) at Browns
|
|
Rams at 49ers (-14)
|
| |
Jets -3
|
|
Ravens -6.5
|
|
49ers -14
|
| |
This is a really tough week for the underdogs
in all of the matchups I have looked at, but I
am really surprised at the small number for
this game. The Jets are truly the definition of
a streak team, as over their last 6 they won
the first 3 against the spread, and have lost
their last 3 coming into this game. The
Redskins have been a middling team so far
this year, posting a 4-7 record against the
number. I know this game will be a defensive
battle, so I do not trust an offense that
averages 16.6 points per game led by Rex
Grossman going against the Jets. The Jets will
need this game to keep pace in the wildcard
race, and I like the ground and pound going
up against a rushing defense that allows 118
yards per game. I am taking the 3 here, as
Rex Ryan is greater than Rex Grossman.
|
|
Ah the battle of the old Browns Vs the new
Browns, and this matchup really has never
been close. The Ravens have dominated
the Browns against the spread, as they
have gone 5-1 in their last 6 head to head
games. The Browns have also posted an
awful 3-6-2 overall mark against the spread
this year. Cleveland currently has a running
back controversy, and I don't trust that
three headed monster going up against the
Ravens defense that allows 3.4 yards per
carry and 91 yards per game. Sure
Cleveland has the best pass
defense in the league, but they also allow
138 yards rushing per game, and that is
what Ray Rice is for. It will be a huge day
for Rice and co, as the Ravens will want to
keep pace for the playoff bye and possible
home field advantage.
|
|
It is always have to lay a lot of points in a
divisional matchup, but of course we have
those same old suck Rams. The 49ers are
coming off a long break, and their second
loss of the year. The 49ers again have
been dynamic against the spread, posting
7-0-1 mark in their last 8 home games.
The Rams have been putrid against the
mark as they have only posted a 2-9 record
so far. Sam Bradford has been horrible this
year, which means that the only weapon to
speak of is running back Steven Jackson.
Problem for the Rams is that they average
12.7 points per game, and are going
against the best rushing defense in the
league that allows 70 yards per game, and
hasn't allowed a touchdown. I would look
for Frank Gore to rule the Rams, as their
rush defense gives up 159 yards per game.
Look for the 49ers to run away with this
one, as St. Louis will probably only get a
field goal.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sean
2011 Record: 27-21-3 (56.3%)
|
|
Cowboys (-4.5) at Cardinals
|
|
Chargers (-3) at Jaguars
|
|
Jets (-3) at Redskins
|
| |
Cowboys -4.5
|
|
Chargers -3
|
|
Jets -3
|
| |
Dallas was my lone loss last week, but I really
like them with this small number on the road
versus a pretty bad Arizona team. The
strength of the Dallas defense is stopping the
run, which is pretty much Arizona's only way to
move the ball. Skelton or Kolb, it doesn't
matter as the Cards really have no passing
attack. DeMarcus Ware and Co. are going to
cause trouble all day. Dallas needs a win
here, which will give them room for error when
they battle the second-place Giants, who I
expect to lose to the Packers this weekend.
Dallas 23-17
|
|
I have been burned by the Chargers a
couple of times this year, and will man up
and say I was wrong about them this year,
but the Jaguars are awful. I don't think
there is any magic like there was when they
beat the Ravens. That was a fluke. This
team has problems everywhere. Jack Del
Rio was fired this week, and Norv Turner is
pretty much a dead man walking in San
Diego, but on paper the Chargers are so
much better than the Jags at every
position. San Diego 27-14
|
|
This is a must-win for the Jets as they are
currently one game behind in the wild card
race. Washington is better than a lot of
people think they are. I honestly think if
they stuck with Rex Grossman all season
that they would have been right in it come
playoff time in the NFC especially with all
the injuries this year. That being said, I
think the Jets go in and win this game on a
late Sanchez TD drive. I have a feeling the
Jets go on one of their rolls and sneak into
the playoffs. The Jets are definitely a team
you do not want to see in January. Jets win
20-16
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
